Device and method for laying out patterns



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Niw WL m w l l l I I I l I l I I l I i II P IHHIIII Feb. 4, 1964 s. E. WALTON DEVICE AND METHOD FOR LAYING OUT PATTERNS Filed Dec. so. 1957- Y\\\\\\\\\\ saga INVENTOR SUE E. WALTON Feb. 4, 1964 s. E.WALTON 3,120,058

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR LAYING OUT PATTERNS Filed Dec. 30. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GEIIHIHTIHII IIHHIIHll-Q 00/ INVENTOR N SUE E. WALTON United States Patent Office 3,120,058 Patented Feb. 4, 1964 3,120,058 DEVECE AND METHQD FOR LAYING l -UT PATTERNS Sue E. Walton, 178 Grange Ave, Philadelphia 20, Pa. Filed Dec. 3t), 1957, Ser. No. 706,024) 2 Claims. (til. 33-11) My invention relates to a device and method for laying out patterns on fabrics having a selvage.

A purpose of my invention is to greatly reduce the time and effort required for laying out such patterns.

A further puropse of my invention is to insure that when such patterns are laid out, they will be properly laid out, with the pattern properly positioned relative to the warp of the fabric.

FIGURE 1 shows, in plan view, an embodiment of the device of my invention, simply resting on a pattern on a fabric, both broken away, the device being not in the position of actual use.

FIGURE 2 shows an enlarged cross section of FIGURE 1 along the line 2-2.

FIGURE 3 shows, in plan view broken away, a form substantially the same as that of FIGURE 1 (though with a slight change in position of the numbers appearing on one part of it), in a position on the pattern and fabric approximately corresponding to that of use, but slightly out of the preferred position of use, for reasons of clarity of illustration.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of another form of my invention.

In laying out garment patterns on fabrics, it is highly important to get the pieces of the pattern properly aligned relative to the direction of the warp of the fabric or the straight grain as it is called. If they are not properly aligned when the pattern is cut out, the resultant clothing tends to get out of shape during use and laundering and cleaning, greatly reducing the satifaction secured from the garment, and, as a practical matter, the length of time it will remain fit for use.

The alignment of the pattern has conventionally been secured by means of a plurality of comparative measurements by a tape measure, which is extremely tedious and time consuming.

In the preferred form of the present invention, as shown in FIGURES 1-3 (there being some slight difference in form between FIGURES 1 and 3), there are two flat, thin T-members, lower T-member Ill and upper T-member 12.

Lower T-member It) has a straight dovetail groove 14, uniform in cross-sectional dimension and shape, running its entire length (being open at both ends) in the same direction as T-leg l6 and located along the Very center of the top of the leg 16 and T head 18.

Upper T-member 12 has a straight dovetail tongue 20 of a uniform cross-sectional shape and dimensions, the shape and dimensions being such as to fit into groove 14, and slide freely within it, when moved along, but with enough friction to remain in any spot unless actively moved. It is integrally affixed to the under side of the upper T-rnember 12. and runs the entire length of the upper T-member in the direction of its T-leg 22, and is located along the very center of the leg 22 and T-head 24.

The top edges, 26 and 28 respectively, of the T-heads form the uttermost extremities of the respective T-members at their end of the T-members, and in shape constitute in each case an uninterrupted straight edge extending in an uninterrupted straight line across the entire head and are each exactly perpendicular to the respective groove or tongue on the same T-member.

The T-members are each preferably made of transparent plastic and with approximate dimensions of 22 inches overall long (i.e., in the direction of the leg), 18 inches overall across, and one-sixteenth inch or more thick (not including the dovetail tongue in the case of the upper member), and the leg and head each two inches wide.

The T-members will preferably have scale markings longitudinally (see 30, 32, 34, and 36) starting either at the top edge of the head as the zero point or at some point further along, and desirably also having different scale divisions on the different sides of the top of the leg, as for example, having the scale divided into sixteenths of an inch in one side and twelfths on the other. If desired, there may also be scale markings across the head of the T (see 33, for example).

In carrying out the method of my invention with the aid of this device, I lay pattern piece 49 on fabric 42, with the line 44, the lengthwise-of-the-goods line, on the pattern piece roughly parallel to the selvage 46 of the fabric.

I then lay my device on top of the pattern with the top edge 26 of the head of the lower T-member (here shown as Ill) running exactly on top of (or at least precisely parallel to) the selvage of the fabric, and slide the upper T-member along until it corresponds approximately in position to the lengthwise-of-the-goods line of the pattern piece. I then move the pattern piece until the line lengthwise-of-the-goods runs precisely under, or at least is precisely parallel to, the top edge 28 of the head of the upper T-member. I then pin this particular piece of the pattern in position, and repeat the process with the other pieces of the particular pattern at other places on the fabric.

When I want to put pieces of the pattern on parts of the fabric relatively remote from the selvage, I slide the upper T-member along until it is entirely free of the lower member. I then reverse the relative position of the head and leg of the upper T-member so that its letter T is upside down (from the longitudinal standpoint) relative to the letter T of the lower T-rnember, and reinsert the tongue of the upper T into the groove of the lower T. With the T-members in this position, I can align pattern pieces on parts of the fabric beyond the remote end of the leg of the lower T-member, using the process already described.

After all the pattern pieces have been pinned onto the fabric, the fabric is cut out in accordance with the lines on the pattern, into the pieces required for the particular garment involved, which may then be completed by sewing, etc.

In the manner above described, patterns for such things as dresses, blouses, coats and overcoats can be laid out in very accurate alignment with greatly reduced time and trouble. Using this method, I find that the laying out of the pattern takes roughly only one quarter of the time required for the conventional method of laying out such patterns, involving comparative measurements with tape measures. For example, a pattern which takes approximately two hours to lay out by the conventional method will take only about one half hour to lay out by this method. When it is considered how much patterns are in use by women engaged in home garment-making, the total saving in time and effort which utilization of my invention could secure would be enormous.

FIGURE 4 shows another less desirable form of the invention. In it there is lower T-member 10 which in the example shown is identical to that in the form of FIGURE 3, and crossarm member 50. Crossarm member 50 is made up of crossarm 52 and tongue 54 affixed to its bot-tom along its center in a direction perpendicular to top edge 56 of the crossarm. Tongue 54 exactly corresponds to a section of tongue 20, and extends out a certain amount beyond the crossarm in both directions.

The form of FIGURE 4 may be used as a less desirable but cheaper form in place of the preferred form,

or crossarm 50 may be used along with the form of FIG- URES 1 or 3 as an adjunct to be used on occasion in conjunction with lower T-member or 10 in place of upper T-member 12 when so desired.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure and method shown, and I, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pattern positioning device, a first T-shaped member having a leg and a head, walls forming a straight groove running throughout the length of said leg and across said head of said first T-shaped member, a second T-shaped member having a leg and a head, a straight tongue running throughout the length of said leg and across said head of said second T-shaped member, said leg on said first T-shaped member being equal in length to said leg on said second T-shaped member, said first and second T-shaped members engaging with said heads in respect to said legs extending in the same direction and alternatively with said heads in respect to said legs extending in opposite directions.

2. In a pattern positioning device, a first T-shaped member having a leg and a head, this T-shaped member being overall flat in the general plane of the head and leg and the member thus having opposite 'T-faces, and the edge of the members head which is away from the leg being in a continuous straight line, walls in that T- shaped member which Walls form a straight dovetail groove in a T-face thereof, which groove runs unobstructedly in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the head which is away from the leg, throughout the length of said leg and entirely across said head of said first T-shaped member, a second T-shaped member having a leg and a head, said second T-shaped member being also over all fiat in the general plane of the head and leg and the second member thus having opposite T-faces and the edge of this said second T-shaped member being also over all fiat in the general plane of the head and leg and this second member thus having opposite T-faces and the edge of this second members head away from its leg being in a continuous straight line, a straight dovetail tongue on a T-face of that second T-shaped member which tongue runs, in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the head which is away from the leg, throughout the length of said leg and entirely across said head of said second T-shaped member, said leg on said first T- shaped member being equal in length to said leg on said second T-shaped member, and said first and second T- shaped members engaging each other by their respective groove and tongue with said heads positioned in the same direction relative to said legs and with said heads positioned in opposite directions relative to said legs, each of the two T-faccs of each T-niember being entirely in its own one plane aside from the respective tongue and groove already mentioned which is on one of said faces in each case.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 752,823 Cary Feb. 23, 1904 779,882 Simpson Ian. 10, 1905 1,370,505 Andree Mar. 8, 1921 1,391,621 Fenwirth Sept. 20, 1921 1,849,955 R0 Mar. 15, 1932 2,073,281 Maier Mar. 9, 1937 2,130,135 Jones Sept. 13, 1938 2,569,265 Sudhoif Sept. 25, 1951 2,589,105 Maiocchi Mar. 11, 1952 2,720,706 Laine Oct. 18, 1955 2,813,341 Di Mino Nov. 19, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 915,179 France July 16, 1946 815,848 Germany Oct. 4, 1951 671,261 Great Britain Apr. 30, 1952 282,426 Switzerland Jan. 5, 1953 

1. IN A PATTERN POSITIONING DEVICE, A FIRST T-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A LEG AND A HEAD, WALLS FORMING A STRAIGHT GROOVE RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID LEG AND ACROSS SAID HEAD OF SAID FIRST T-SHAPED MEMBER, A SECOND T-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A LEG AND A HEAD, A STRAIGHT TONGUE RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID LEG AND ACROSS SAID HEAD OF SAID SECOND T-SHAPED MEMBER, SAID 